curiosity
gb/kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/ us/kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
desire to know or learn
The feeling of wanting to know more about something.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s curiosity about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'curiosity' with 'curiousness'. While both are correct, 'curiosity' is far more common in everyday English.
Synonyms
inquisitiveness (Slightly more formal and suggests an active tendency to ask questions.)
Antonyms
indifference (Lack of interest or concern about something.)
Collocations
natural curiosity
|spark curiosity
|arouse curiosity
|satisfy curiosity
|out of curiosity
Themes
emotions
|learning
|psychology
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her curiosity about other cultures led her to travel the world.
- The strange noise in the attic sparked his curiosity.
- Out of curiosity, she opened the old box.
- Children's natural curiosity helps them learn quickly.
- His curiosity about science inspired him to become a researcher.
Learner examples
- I have a curiosity about animals.
- His curiosity made him open the door.
- She asked the question out of curiosity.
- Curiosity can help you learn new things.
Noun
B2
entity
2
unusual or interesting thing
Something strange or rare that makes people interested.
Usage pattern:
a curiosity from [place/time]
Synonyms
novelty (Focuses more on newness rather than rarity or peculiarity.)
Antonyms
commonplace (Something ordinary and not unusual.)
Collocations
historical curiosity
|odd curiosity
|tourist curiosity
Themes
culture
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The museum displayed curiosities from ancient Egypt.
- This old coin is a real curiosity.
- He collected curiosities from his travels abroad.
Learner examples
- This shell is a curiosity from the beach.
- We saw many curiosities in the market.
- That old photo is a curiosity.
Grammar
Dictionary form
curiosity
IPA
GB/kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/
US/kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/
Syllables & stress
curi - os - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: curiosity
- Plural: curiosities, curiosity
Word family
Expressions
out of curiosity
1/ˈaʊt əv kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti/
fixed phrase
because you want to know
Used when you do something only because you want to know the answer or result.
Examples
- I only asked out of curiosity.
- Out of curiosity, what time does the train leave?
curiosity killed the cat
1/kjˌʊɹiˈɑsəti kˈɪld ðə kˈæt/
idiom
informal
warning against being too curious
Used to warn someone that asking too many questions or being too interested could cause problems.
Examples
- Don't ask too many questions—curiosity killed the cat.
- Be careful asking about his past—curiosity killed the cat.
- He kept digging into their private affairs, but curiosity killed the cat.
- I know you want to look, but remember, curiosity killed the cat.